U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,124 describes a buffing pad assembly, adapted for drive by a power tool, which includes first and second buffing surfaces formed by joining together two pads in a back-to-back configuration. The pads are joined at their periphery, beyond the diameter of the backing pad, in order to protect the work surface treated from the rotating edge. Also, being double sided, the pad can be inverted to provide a clean fabric material or a different material altogether.
Other designs for protecting the work surface are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,007,189 and 3,007,289. The former describes a cushioned pad, employing a layer of foam rubber between the backing plate and the buffing pad which extends over the edge of the backing plate. The latter is directed toward a dished buffing pad, the rear backing fabric of which is turned up during manufacture to form a curved peripheral edge. The backing plate member fits within this curved edge and is thereby prohibited from contacting the surface being polished.
Although the foregoing buffing pads are designed to protect the edges and at least one describes a reversible assembly, none has provided a means for more rapidly changing the pad. With such pads and existing comparable assemblies, it is necessary to remove a locking nut that fastens the pad to the tool, insert the nut through a new pad, affix the same to the backing plate and tighten. For the experienced operator, this total procedure can take one minute which is long enough that he may elect to continue using the same pad rather than change it as necessary, particularly in assembly line operations.
At least two companies, Swiss International Abrasives, Ltd. of Switzerland and Redline Engineering, Inc. in California offer backing discs that contain a hook and loop system such as Velcro or the like for use with machine sanding and grinding discs. However, to date, neither has employed such a system with buffing pads. At least one British company, Tex Abrasives of Colchester, England does offer a buffing pad that can be affixed to a Velcro backed backing pad. However, the pad is fully engaged by the hooks and lacks any structural strength of its own, which create use problems that have been obviated by the present invention.